Can puncturing device



2, 1966 J. MILLER ETAL 3,263,327

CAN PUNCTURING DEVICE Filed July :50, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 a --a I37 INVENTORS JACK MILLER BY CARL E. MALONE WMQLA ATTORNEY Aug. 2, 1966 J. MILLER ETAL CAN PUNCTURING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 30, 1964 I N VEN TOR. JACK MILLER CARL E. MALONE United States Patent M 3,263,327 CAN PUNCTURING DEVICE Jack Miller, 1410 20th St., Miami Beach, Fla, and Carl E. Malone, 2281 SW. 33rd Way, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Filed July 30, 1%4, Ser. No. 386,220 6 Claims. (Cl. 30-85) This invention relates to a can puncturing device for use with conventional cans having flat walls and circumferential beads.

The invention contemplates a surface mounted device either supported upon a table or a wall and with the device including a housing carrying pressure actuated mechanism for shifting a can puncturing bar downwardly to form an opening in an adjacent end of a can.

A novel feature of the device resides in means whereby the can is inserted under an overhang of the casing and under the puncturing bar to engage a retaining lip carried by the puncturing bar and whereby the can is initially held against movement downwardly and with the can body engaging an arcuate can lever and whereby the can and the can lever are swung inwardly toward the housing to actuate the puncturing bar and to also release the initial retaining means so that, as the puncturing bar propressively moves downwardly, the can and its bead will be shifted downwardly to rest upon a shoulder carried by the can lever and whereby the can will be held agai i st dropping away after the puncturing has been complett A further object of the invention resides in a housi having a forward overhang that is open at the bottor. permit the passage of a can puncturing bar, the can pt' turing bar being pivotally mounted within the housing a ;l swingable in a vertical plane under the influence o a pivoted crank arm in the housing that is connected to the puncturing bar at one end and at its lower end is connected to the lower end of the can lever whereby a can placed against the can lever and shoved inwardly, causing a rocking motion of the crank arm for forcing the puncturing bar downwardly to pierce and tear the opening into the top of the can with spring means to retract the several elements to their normal inoperative position after the can has been punctured.

Novel features of construction and operation of the device will be more clearly apparent during the course of the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein has been illustrated a preferred form of the device and wherein like characters of reference are employed to denote like parts throughout the several figures.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of a machine constructed in accordance with the invent-ion,

FIGURE 2 is a front edge view thereof,

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view thereof,

FIGURE 4 is a rear edge view, parts being removed,

FIGURE 5 is a central vertical sectional view taken substantially on line 55 of FIGURE 3,

FIGURE 6 is a greatly enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on line 6-6 of FIGURE 3,

FIGURE 7 is a section taken substantially on line 77 of FIGURE 5, and

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of a can actuating bar.

Referring specifically to the drawings, there has been illustrated a housing, indicated as a whole by the numeral 5. The housing is preferably molded of suitable plastic and, as illustrated, the housing embodies two mating sections. 6 and 7, each being substantially identical except that they are formed in right and left handed units. Each of the sections 6 and 7 embody side walls 8, rear walls 9 and bottom walls 10. Each of the sections 6 and 7 are extended forwardly at their upper ends to constitute an 32%,32? Patented August 2, i966 overhand 11 that is angularly disposed and with the over hang being arcuately shaped and continued to form tops 12. The underpart of the overhang 111 is formed flat and angularly disposed as indicated at 13 and is slotted at 14 for the passage of a puncturing bar 15, having a curved sharpened nose portion 16.

The sections 6 and 7 when assembled are held together by screws or like fastening devices 17, creating a gener ally rectangular chamber 18. The front of the housing is formed open for its full width, as indicated at 19, for a purpose to be presently described. The housing 5 may be supported upon a relatively wide base 2t having inclined walls 21 and a connecting top 22. The bottom 10 of the housing, when used in connection with the base is preferably connected thereto by screws 23. Should the operator desire that the device be mounted upon a wall, suitable headed screws may be fixed into the wall to engage keyhole slots 24, formed in the back walls 9 of the housing, and whereby the device may be rigidly supported in use.

The puncturing bar 15 is formed of hardened steel and, as shown particularly in FIGURE 6, the bar is L-shaped, having a horizontal leg 25 and a right angle leg 26. The leg 26 is provided with a pair of perforated cars 27, for pivotal connection with a link 28, by a pivot pin 29. The leg 25 is also provided with a pair of downwardly extending ears 3t pivotally supported upon a cross shaft 31 that has a bearing in the side walls 8. The leg 25 is also stamped to form a downwardly extending angular loci tongue 32 having a lower lip portion 33, constituting an initial retaining means for the marginal head 34, of a can 35, as will be presently described. Also pivotally supported upon the shaft 31 is a can lever 36. The lever 36 is provided at its upper end with a pair of ears 37 that are perforated at 38 to engage the shaft 31 outwardly of the ears 3%. The lever 36 is arcuate transversely to conform generally to the curvature of the can to be punctured.

The link 28 is pivotally connected at 39 to the upper end of a crank arm 46. The lower end of the crank arm 49 is pivotally connected at 41 to a link Q2 and the link 42 is pivotally connected at 43 to a bifurcated bracket 44 carried by the lower end of the lever 36; The crank 49 intermediate its length is provided with a hub 45, carrying a shaft 46, that extends beyond each side of the hub 5 and is rotatably supported within bosses 47 molded upon the inner sides of the side walls 8. It will be apparent from the description so far, that when a can is placed against a can bar 36 and forced toward the housing, the links 42 and 28 will cause the bar 15 to rock upon the shaft 31 to force the punch 16 downwardly through the top of the can. A spring 48 serves to retract the crank arm 40 and its associated elements to the position illustrated in FIGURE 5, after pressure has been relieved from the can lever at 36. A suitable bumper 49 serves to absorb any sudden shock upon the parts when too suddenly released. To prevent damage to the fingers of the operator, the can lever 36 is provided at each marginal edge with a wing 59, preferably molded integral with the can lever 36 and that telescopes within the housing as the mechanism is actuated.

In the use of the device, assuming that the base 249 is to be employed, it is connected by the screws 23 and the entire device seated upon a fiat surface and the flaring of the flanges 21 prevent undue tilting of the device during the puncturing of a can. If the device is to be wall mounted, the base 20 is removed and the housing then supported upon the headed screws or the like within a wall area. Normally, the parts automatically assume the position illustrated in FIGURES l, 5 and 6, when a can is to be punctured, it is forced against the flat undersurface of the overhang 11 and forced rearwardly until it a engages the lip 33, where the can will be in alignment with the can lever 36 and cradled within the arcuate shape of the lever and will be supported against dropping away. The operator then proceeds to force the can inwardly against the can lever, causing the crank arm 40 to rock under the influence of the link 42 and under the influence of the link 28, causes the bar 15 to rock downwardly, first piercing the can and then tearing a substantially V- shaped opening into the can top. As the lever 15 continues downwardly, the lip 33 swings away from the bead 34, permitting the bead and the can to drop downwardly to rest upon the fiat shoulder 36a of the can lever 36 and the puncturing then continued to the position shown in dotted lines in FIGURE 6. The can is thus held against accidental dropping away after being released from the lip 33 and is continuously supported upon theshoulder 7 36a until the parts are released and the can manually removed. With the can removed from the can lever after puncturing, the parts will assume their normal position under the influence of the spring 43.

The device as described and illustrated is formed of two mating sections and, in the assembly of the device, the bar 15 and the can lever 36 are disposed upon the shaft 31, the crank arm 40 having the extended shaft 46 is then connected to the links 28 and 42 and the links subsequently connected to the pivot 29 and the pivot 43. The several parts are then inserted into an open side of one housing section, the shaft extension of the crank arm 40 fitting into one boss 47 while the shaft 31 is engaged into recesses formed into one side wall 8 and the opposite housing section 7 is then engaged thereover to receive the ends of the shaft 31 and the shaft 46. Prior to the engagement of the opposite housing, the spring 48 is connected to the upper portion of the crank arm 40 and to a lug fixed upon an adjacent rear wall of the housing. The parts are then fixed together by the screws 17. The base 20 is connected to the bottom sections 10 by the screws 23 or, if the housing is to be supported upon a wall, the base is omitted and the headed securing means engaged within the keyhole slots 24, securely holding the assembly and the puncturing mechanism against movement during the puncturing of the can.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that a very novel can puncturing device has been provided for puncturing the end walls of conventional tin cans. The latching mechanism enables the operator to engage the cans upon the inclined surface 13 and shove it forwardly to engage the lip 33 where the can is securely held by the engagement of the lip with the bead upon the can, preventing the can from falling away. In this position, the can rests upon the arcuate lever 36. The puncturing device at this time is recessed into the slot 14 against accidental engagement by the hands of the individual. As the can is forced inwardly by the hand of the operator, the cutter bar is swung downwardly by the motion of the linkage and the crank arm, first puncturing the can and then tearing the can downwardly to form the opening therein and as the cutter bar moves downwardly, the latching device 32 swings therewith and away from the bead of the can and the pressure of the cutter bar then moves the can downwardly to rest upon the shoulder 36a of the lever 36, holding the can against further movement downwardly until the puncturing has been completed. The parts are few and simple, are strong, cheap to manufacture and is most effective for initially holding the can prior to piercing and to hold the can during the continued puncturing thereof to form the desired opening and upon the release of pressure upon the can, the can may be removed from the shoulder 36a and the parts again shifted to their normal inoperative position by the spring 48. The device is believed to be a distinct advance over prior art devices and is ornamental and applicable to a wall suspension or for use upon a fiat surface.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise construction shown, but that changes are 4 contemplated as readily fall within the spirit of the invention as shall be determined by the scope of the subjoined claims.

We claim:

1. A can puncturing device for use in connection with cans having opposite end walls and circumferential beads at each end, a housing of rectangular shape that is open at its forward side, the housing being extended at its upper end to project forwardly of and over the open side, a can lever that is pivotally connected to the housing adjacent to the extension and with the can lever being normally angled away from the open side and swingable into the opening when a can is pressed thereagainst, a puncturing bar that is pivoted upon the first named pivot, means formed upon the bar that engages the bead of the can to hold the can initially from dropping away, means operable when the can is forced against the can lever to rotate the puncturing bar to puncturing engagement with an adjacent end of the can and means to return the puncturing bar and the can lever to an inoperative position after the can has been punctured and pressure removed from the can lever.

2. A can puncturing device for puncturing an end wall of a can and with the end wall of the can being provided with a circumferential head, a housing of rectangular shape that is open at its forward side, the housing being extended at its upper end to project forwardly of the end I over the open side, a can lever that is pivotally connected to the housing adjacent to the extension and above the opeii'r side and with the can lever being normally angled away from the open side and swingable into the opening whfn a can is presssed thereagainst, a puncturing bar that is ivoted upon the pivot of the can lever, a tongue formed u n the puncturing bar that extends downwardly from puncturing bar into the path of movement of the upper of the can and whereby to initially support the can n engaged with the can lever, the extension of the h sing being flat and angled downwardly to constitute a uide for the can to engage the tongue, the can lever at one end being provided with a puncturing end, a crank arm pivotally supported within the housing, the crank arrn being connected at one end to the puncturing bar and at its opposite end to the can lever, the crank arm being rockable upon its pivot when pressure is exerted against the can lever and to force the puncturing bar downwardly to puncture the end of the can and spring means operable to shift the crank arm, the puncturing bar and the can lever to a normal inoperative position after the can has been punctured and pressure removed from the can lever.

3. The structure according to claim 2 wherein the can lever is arcuate in cross section to conform to the curvature of a can, the pivot for the can lever being a cross shaft having its opposite ends rotatable in recesses formed in the side walls of the housing, the puncturing bar being of L-shape and having cars at each side for pivotal support upon the shaft, the extension of the housing upon its lower angled portion being slotted for the passage of the puncturing bar and with the puncturing bar being normally recessed into the extension when in a normal inoperative position, the puncturing bar at its upper portion having pivotal connection with a link that is pivotally connected to an upper end of the crank arm, the lowerend of the can lever being pivotally connected to a link that is also pivotally connected to a lower end of the crank arm and whereby pressure is exerted against the can lever and causes the crank arm to rotate and forcing the puncturing bar downwardly to puncturing engagement with the end of the can and a spring connected to the crank arm above its pivot and to a rear wall of the housing for returning the crank arm, the puncturing bar and the can lever to a normal position.

4. The structure according to claim 2 wherein the housing is formed of two mating molded plastic sections, the extension being forwardly from each housing section, means for connecting the sections together, the housing sections having a flat base that are detachably connected to a supporting base having outwardly and downwardly inclined flanges to support the housing against rocking movement, a rear wall of the housing being provided with keyhole slots whereby to support the housing upon a wall area.

5. A puncturing device for cans having opposite end walls and with the cans adjacent the end walls being provided with circumferential heads, a housing that is formed open at its forward side, the housing being provided with a forward upper extension that extends beyond the opening and with the extension having a flat undersurface that is inclined downwardly toward the housing, a shaft extending across the housing and having its ends supported within recesses formed in opposite side walls, a can lever that is arcuate in cross section and with the can lever being provided with a pair of upwardly extending ears that have pivotal support upon the shaft, the inclined surface of the extension being slotted, a puncturing bar having one end tapered and sharpened for piercing engagement with an end of the can to be punctured, the bar being of L-shape, having a pair of mounting ears that are pivotally supported upon the shaft, the bar adapted to be shifted through the slot when a can is to be punctured, the bar also being provided with an integral downwardly extending tongue that terminates in a lip at its lower end having engagement with the bead of the can to support the can in its initial engagement with the can lever and to prevent the can from dropping downwardly, the bar having a right angle portion that is provided with a pair of ears, a link pivotally supported between the ears t one end and with the link at its opposite end being pivotally connected to a crank arm, the crank arm intermediate its length being pivotally supported within the housing,

the can lever being pivotally connected to a link and with the link being connected to the lower end of the crank arm, the can lever adjacent its upper end being shouldered, the said can lever when forced inwardly by a can, rocking the crank arm and forcing the bar downwardly to puncture the can, the said tongue moving away from the head as the bar is shifted downwardly in its puncturing action and to permit the can bead to rest upon the shoulder and spring means connected to the crank arm above its point of pivoting and to a rear wall of the housing to retract the crank arm and to swing the puncturing bar upwardly into the housing extension and to shift the can lever forwardly to an angular position with respect to the housing.

6. The structure according to claim 4 wherein the can lever upon its opposite edges is provided with wings and with the wings telescoping within the opening of the housing when the can lever is forced inwardly.

References Qited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,576,800 11/1951 Menderman 10 X 2,701,413 2/1955 Staller 3010 X 3,032,872 5/1962 Zibbell 30-8 3,152,395 10/1964 Turner 308 FOREIGN PATENTS 806,330 12/ 1958 Great Britain.

WILLIAM FEL'DMAN, Primary Examiner.

G. WEIDENFELD, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A CAN PUNCTURING DEVICE FOR USE IN CONNECTION WITH CANS HAVING OPPOSITE END WALLS AND CIRCUMFERENTIAL BEADS AT EACH END, A HOUSING OF RECTANGULAR SHAPE THAT IS OPEN AT ITS FORWARD SIDE, THE HOUSING BEING EXTENDED AT ITS UPPER END TO PROJECT FORWARDLY OF AND OVER THE OPEN SIDE, A CAN LEVER THAT IS PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO THE HOUSING ADJACENT TO THE EXTENSION AND WITH THE LEVER BEING NORMALLY ANGLED AWAY FROM THE OPEN SIDE AND SWINGABLE INTO THE OPENING WHEN A CAN IS PRESSED THEREAGAINST, A PUNCTURING BAR THAT IS PIVOTED UPON THE FIRST NAMED PIVOT, MEANS FORMED UPON THE BAR THAT ENGAGES AWAY, MEANS OPERABLE HOLD THE CAN INITIALLY FROM DROPPING AWAY, MEANS OPERABLE WHEN THE CAN IS FORCED AGAINST THE CAN LEVER TO ROTATE THE PUNCTURING BAR TO PUNCTURING ENGAGEMENT WITH AN ADJACENT END OF THE CAN AND MEANS TO RETURN THE PUNCTURING BAR AND THE CAN LEVER TO AN INOPERATIVE POSITION AFTER THE CAN HAS BEEN PUNCTURED AND PRESSURE REMOVED FROM THE CAN LEVER. 